Winter Layup in Tunisia - Info Pls

[Gypsy]

My plans are to be in Tunisia at the end of this season after cruising Corsica and Sardinia. Can anybody offer recent information/experience about leaving a boat (44ft) in Tunisia over winter? We will not live aboard and would probably prefer to haul her out whilst we are away from Nov-Mar. Info on boating facilities and flight access to Brussels or Amsterdam would be apprecdiated.
Thanks in advance

 

[Sea Devil]

It is a while ago since I was there but the marina facilities were excellent - and very secure. I met one couple who had left their boat there for 2 years whilst they crewed on one of those whirlwind organized circumnavigations and it was fine when thy got back.

flights were a bit of a problem compared to Europe - not sure if it is still true but the Tunisians had their own national airline - legitimate charters in and out for holidaymakers were fine but they frowned on people buying onto cheap charters from inside the country. could be done - tickets from charter companies but a slight risk of incurring the wrath of officials -

 

[Gypsy]

Thanks for your response Michael. From all that I have read in mags and the web it seems there are some nice places in Tunisia so we certainly plan to cruise around a bit. As we don't stay aboard over winter, reasonably priced access to Eu cities where we can get flights back to Australia becomes a factor in our choice of winter lay-up. I was hoping to get some comments of recent experience. I guess Tunisia is one of those "well kept secrets".

Ray

 

[Sea Devil]

Malta is also a good place - I left my boat there hauled for a winter in the 100% secure Manuel ship yard - Has the advantage of chandelry and easy spares. Flights to London etc were inexpensive if I remember right...

 

[Gypsy]

Thanks, Malta is the fallback choice as we were there in 2002. I too would plan to haul out in the Manuel shipyard. Did you find them easy to deal with? When I went there on foot last time it seemed like a sleepy old govt yard but as you point out the chandlery and other facilities in the area are very good. I could get my life raft serviced there too. Now that I am reminding myself of the benefits I wonder wehy I think I should use Tunisia for the winter.

Ray

 

[Sea Devil]

Yes they are a bit of a sleepy old goverment place - the remains of the British RN dockyards with too many workers and 'jobsworth' to make you laugh except they are good at what they do - 100% security - and do provide employment for local people - I found it a good deal = just agree a price before they do any job.

I think Tunisia is a good place to leave the boat for a long time but to do the 'refit' that is always needed after 6 months ashore Malta is probably an easier place to do/get things in.

I loved Tunisa - one of the Med high points for me - cruised the coast all the way to Algeria - Had major engine breakdown (gearbox failure) fixed in 3 days of 1/3rd the money of europe... Mind you I like Morocco as well.......